


A Moonlit Dance

by Satairev



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Red Hood: Lost Days, Red Robin (Comics)
Genre: First Dates, Fluff, Jason Todd is Red Hood, M/M, Tim Drake Birthday Hunt, Tim Drake Birthday Hunt Exchange, Tim Drake is Red Robin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-20
Updated: 2020-07-20
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:34:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25396240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Satairev/pseuds/Satairev
Summary: Patrolling Gotham often felt like a chore, but when he was with Jason, Tim felt like he was in a dream.
Relationships: Tim Drake/Jason Todd
Comments: 3
Kudos: 125





	A Moonlit Dance

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Moxibustion (RyuuzaKochou)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RyuuzaKochou/gifts).



> A huge thank you to Bumpkin, Nitral, and Shu from the Coffee and Capes discord for betaing!

Patrolling Gotham often felt like a chore, but when he was with Jason, Tim felt like he was in a dream.

Watching Jason fight was like watching poetry in motion. There was an elegance to his maneuvers, as brutal as they were. It was a deadly sort of grace reminiscent of a jungle cat. It was just so _efficient_ — not a single movement was ever wasted. 

Getting to fight with Jason was even better than watching.

Fighting by his side was just so _easy_. They fell into place together as naturally as breathing, twisting around each other sinuously, like snakes in the grass. It was as if they’d trained together for years. Tim would cover an opening at Jason’s back while the other man lunged forward with brutal grace, and then he’d effortlessly slide out of the way as Jason turned to put a bullet in the shoulder of Tim’s own opponent. In a heartbeat, they could take out several opponents without ever having to worry. 

It felt like dancing.

Their dance came to an end with one final flourish as Jason knocked the last person out. They tied their opponents up for the police, and sent out the call to let them know where the smugglers were. It hadn’t been a particularly difficult takedown; the smugglers were fairly low-level and weren’t properly trained fighters. Several long minutes later, they heard the sirens in the distance as they gazed down at the scene from the rooftops.

“Well, now that’s out of the way, shall we get back to where we were going?”

Tim grinned up at Jason’s helmet when the other man spoke. “What, getting impatient, Hood? I thought you liked kicking ass and taking names. Has the shine worn off already?”

“Fighting’s always gonna be shiny, Baby Bird. But we have places to be.” Even with the helmet, and through the voice modulators, Tim could hear the smirk in his voice. The reason became obvious a second later when Jason sprinted for the edge of the roof, shooting his grapple as he went. “Try to keep up, babe!”

Letting out a cry of outrage as Jason’s wild laughter streamed back to him, Tim gave chase. They darted from roof to roof, racing across the city with carefree abandon. Jason kept his lead the whole way, but never quite left Tim’s sight, and when he finally caught up he saw that the other man was standing on a rooftop overlooking a very familiar place — Crime Alley.

“This is your favourite place in the city?” Tim asked, incredulous. Martha and Thomas had died in this street, all those years ago. 

“Seems a bit morbid, I know. But it isn’t because of them.” Jason took a moment to stare down at the pavement below, lost in thought. “But then again, maybe it is.”

That was when it all slotted into place for Tim. “This is where you stole Batman’s tires. This is where it all began.”

The quick swivel of Jason’s head gave away his surprise, despite his face not being visible. “How the hell did you know that, Baby Bird?”

“I was there.”

“What?”

“You know I used to follow Batman and Robin around with my camera,” Tim responded, amused at Jason’s astonishment.

“But… but… I was only twelve! You would have been tiny!” He stares at Tim, his shock slowly giving way to a smirk. “A literal baby bird.”

Tim groaned as Jason cackled. “Seriously, Hood? Seriously?” He waited for the mirth to die down, and then continued. “I’m a little surprised that this is your favourite spot in Gotham, honestly. I didn’t think Robin held many good memories for you.”

“Maybe, when I first crawled out of the Pit, it didn’t. But now… well. I was happy, as Robin. It didn’t end well, and I wouldn’t go back to being one of Bruce’s soldiers, but I don’t regret doing it in the first place.” Tim could hear the grin through the modulators when Jason continued, “After all, how else would we have ended up here?”

Tim took a moment to wish his mask covered more of his face when he blushed furiously. Jason laughed, but it was a fond sound, and he followed it with, “Well, that’s my reminiscing for the night done, so let's get outta here. Your turn, Baby Bird.”

Tim grinned up at him. “Well then,” he turned and sprinted for the roof’s edge, “Keep up!”

This time, it was Jason who cried out in playful outrage as Tim turned his earlier words against him. They raced across the city again, now with Tim leading the way. Once, years ago, being chased like this by Jason would have been terrifying. The Red Hood had always been a formidable foe, and back then he would have bested Tim in almost every fight. Now, being chased by Jason was exhilarating, a fierce competition filled with joyful laughter that got snatched away by the wind as they soared through the night.

This was another kind of dancing — a dance across the rooftops, never quite touching. Tim had never enjoyed dancing at galas, but out here, as they spun around each other and twirled out of reach again, he thought that he wanted to do this forever. 

He almost wasn’t ready to stop, but they’d made it to his destination. Jason had gained much more ground on Tim than he had on Jason earlier that evening, and was barely a few paces behind him.

“Almost caught you. I’ll get you next time,” Jason pulled his helmet off as Tim grinned up at him. “So, this is your favourite place in the city?”

“Well, it’s certainly got the best view,” Tim gestured to all of Gotham below them, buildings sprawling out as far as the eye could see.

“Timmy Drake-Wayne, princess on top of the tower,” Jason mocked lightly.

“Well, we might be on top of the tallest tower in Gotham, but I’m not a princess. Aren’t you the one who used to read all the fairytales?” Tim snarked back.

Jason pulled off his domino and laughed, the wild and joyous sound ringing into the night. Below them, the lights of Gotham glittered like the stars they couldn’t see for all the smog in the sky. Tim felt like his heart stopped, his breath catching in his lungs as he watched Jason laugh. 

He was just so damn beautiful.

The moonlight threw his face into sharp relief, illuminating arched eyebrows and giving his skin an otherworldly sheen. He looked like an emperor there, or maybe a god, standing atop the tallest tower to survey his domain. But he wasn’t looking out at Gotham.

He was looking at Tim.

Tim could do nothing but meet his eyes, entranced by the way ocean blues warred with flecks of emerald green. Jason’s gaze held weight to it, and Tim had never felt more like prey. Somehow, he liked it anyway.

Jason approached him with sinuous grace, until he was standing so close that Tim could feel the unnatural heat radiating from him. He placed a single finger under Tim’s chin, pushing it upwards. Like this, with Jason’s head tilted down to meet him, their noses just brushed. Every breath Jason took was a heated sigh against his lips, until they were matching their inhales, air mingling and shared in the inch between their faces. 

“Not a princess, huh, Timmy?” Every word brushed against his skin, bursts of heat in the cool night air. Tim couldn’t help but shiver. “But you do look so… delicate.” A single finger traced across his eyelashes and down across his cheekbone, the strange warmth leaving a prickling trail across his skin.

“I might look delicate, but I’m definitely not helpless,” he murmured in response, spellbound by the moment. He could feel the smile that curved Jason’s mouth against his cheek.

“No. Not helpless. You never were.” 

Before Tim could say another word, Jason’s hands moved into his hair and their lips were finally meeting.


End file.
